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Clothing for Confidence

What We Do

My New Red Shoes provides homeless and very low-income school-aged children with a brand new pair of shoes, a $50 clothing gift card, a little "something special" (such as a clothing accessory or school supply), and a handmade card – all placed in a hand-sewn gift bag. These gifts enable My New Red Shoes' clients to start the school year adequately dressed, confident, and ready to learn. Providing new clothes and shoes also increases school attendance and gives them a chance to fit in – and that’s the first step towards standing out.

Why Shoes and Clothes are Important

  • There are more than 5,000 school-aged children living in shelters, experiencing homelessness every night in the Bay Area.
  • Homelessness has a devastating effect on a child’s education; homeless youth are twice as likely to repeat a grade in school and are significantly more likely to drop out. 
  • A lack of appropriate clothing keeps kids out of school. Twenty-one percent of a recent Santa Clara Homeless Census Survey found that 21% of  of families whose children did not attend school reported that lack of appropriate clothing was the primary factor (Santa Clara Homeless Census Survey).
  • A youth’s ability to dress like his or her peers is proven to directly correlate with school success. Click to read success stories of the children My New Red Shoes serves.

Who We Support

  • My New Red Shoes serves homeless and very low-income school-aged (5-18) children entering grades K-12 in the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and Marin Counties. Click to see a list of partner agencies.
  • The kids we serve in 2011: 92% were homeless and 8% low-income. 
  • The diverse racial demographic of our children were Asian, African American, Caucasian, Hispanic.
  • In 2011, the Clothing for Confidence program served 3,583 children. Since its founding in 2006, My New Red Shoes has served over 11,000 Bay Area children.

How it Works

My New Red Shoes partners with social service agencies to identify homeless and very low-income youth in Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda and Marin counties. Through these agencies, My New Red Shoes distributes gift bags to the children in their care prior to the beginning of a new school year. Many of the agencies also assist the children in using their gift cards by organizing shopping trips. 



We Need Your Help!

My New Red Shoes relies on volunteers and the community's support. For a list of ways to get involved, please click here!

If your agency is interested in receiving gift bags, please contact the Manager of Clothing for Confidence and Corporate Engagement, Rebecca Mayer, at rebecca@mynewredshoes.org or (650) 375-2641.
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(650) 241-3911 - 111 Anza Blvd., Suite 110, Burlingame, CA 94010 - info@mynewredshoes.org